You need to subscribe for a _cellphone_service to get the best deal, Elly!…one that offers unlimited minutes, for example. (Unfortunately, I know cellphones weren’t around when Lynn drew today’s comic)… ;)
Just remember the old days of one telephone in the house, secured to the wall with a cord.One bill, no need to worry about various plans, text rates, roaming charges, cracked screens, new ringtones -The days when the only people with cell phones were Capt. Kirk and Mr. Spock.
Yes, this one is dated in a way that can’t really be fixed. As for that situation, BTDT. It gets worse when you’re in one country (in Europe) and your boyfriend is in another (still in Europe), and it’s all pre-cellphones
Phone bills can still get pretty expensive. We’ve got unlimited long-distance through Century Link and the bill (with all the fees and taxes) comes to about $70 per month. MagicJack, on the other hand, can be as low as $2 per month but my wife was having problems with it so I got us on Century Link because it was worth paying the extra $68 to not have to listen to the complaining.
I think (didn’t take the time to Google it) by 1985 Ma Bell had lost her monopoly rights in the US and a few alternate services were just getting started. It took some extra effort to access them (as firebrand1 said) but the savings were there. Of course, FBorFW is in Canada, so things would have been different.
My parents emigrated to Canada (from UK) in 1953. Mom was told of her grandmother’s death by long distance from New York. All other family events till at least 1975 — births, deaths, weddings… were announced by post.
It seems like the more things change the more they stay the same.
I always love the fact that by the time phone bills got cheap and extremely good sound quality, and reliable, people jumped on the new system for taking their money (cell phones).
So now they have the bad connections like they are were on really old long distance phone calls. And they pay large sums. Their phones are basically “rental” because they keep recycling for the newest ones, mostly by having a plan that pays for the phone (out of what they charge them per month).
“Long distance”? “Extra charges”? What decade are you people living in? I pay a flat $25 a month (yes that includes tax) for unlimited talk/text/data with nationwide coverage.
krys723 almost 10 years ago
Nothing explains a long-distance friendship and/or relationship better than the phone bill
ORMouseworks almost 10 years ago
You need to subscribe for a _cellphone_service to get the best deal, Elly!…one that offers unlimited minutes, for example. (Unfortunately, I know cellphones weren’t around when Lynn drew today’s comic)… ;)
Can't Sleep almost 10 years ago
Just remember the old days of one telephone in the house, secured to the wall with a cord.One bill, no need to worry about various plans, text rates, roaming charges, cracked screens, new ringtones -The days when the only people with cell phones were Capt. Kirk and Mr. Spock.
zoeannanime almost 10 years ago
Old phone service was soooo expensive!
She Mc almost 10 years ago
Oh dear, never heard of Skype?
Observer fo Irony almost 10 years ago
Yep, the wonders of technology allows us to talk around the world but it is still going to cost something.
masnadies almost 10 years ago
Yes, this one is dated in a way that can’t really be fixed. As for that situation, BTDT. It gets worse when you’re in one country (in Europe) and your boyfriend is in another (still in Europe), and it’s all pre-cellphones
Mneedle almost 10 years ago
I did not know that anyone paid extra for long distance. I can call any number in the U.S. without an additional charge.
Guilty Bystander almost 10 years ago
Phone bills can still get pretty expensive. We’ve got unlimited long-distance through Century Link and the bill (with all the fees and taxes) comes to about $70 per month. MagicJack, on the other hand, can be as low as $2 per month but my wife was having problems with it so I got us on Century Link because it was worth paying the extra $68 to not have to listen to the complaining.
Fido (aka Felix Rex) Premium Member almost 10 years ago
I think (didn’t take the time to Google it) by 1985 Ma Bell had lost her monopoly rights in the US and a few alternate services were just getting started. It took some extra effort to access them (as firebrand1 said) but the savings were there. Of course, FBorFW is in Canada, so things would have been different.
potrerokid almost 10 years ago
Unheard of in those days!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
JP Steve Premium Member almost 10 years ago
My parents emigrated to Canada (from UK) in 1953. Mom was told of her grandmother’s death by long distance from New York. All other family events till at least 1975 — births, deaths, weddings… were announced by post.
CO Premium Member almost 10 years ago
It seems like the more things change the more they stay the same.
I always love the fact that by the time phone bills got cheap and extremely good sound quality, and reliable, people jumped on the new system for taking their money (cell phones).
So now they have the bad connections like they are were on really old long distance phone calls. And they pay large sums. Their phones are basically “rental” because they keep recycling for the newest ones, mostly by having a plan that pays for the phone (out of what they charge them per month).
BrookFan almost 10 years ago
The first phone bill when our son had a new computer with a dial up connection was $600.00
nickel_penny almost 10 years ago
“Long distance”? “Extra charges”? What decade are you people living in? I pay a flat $25 a month (yes that includes tax) for unlimited talk/text/data with nationwide coverage.